A look back at the last week in education, a peek at what's coming up, plus lots of other interesting stuff to help with lesson planning  ...

LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS Three of the week's headlines ... Children experiencing 'unorthodox' schooling since pandemic, Ofsted says Read more University tuition fees rise in Wales for second time in a year Read more English pupils do better than expected in international maths and science tests Read more Visit EdNews to filter all the education news by phase or topic Three pieces of policy news - by phase Follow this link to view the full version of Steve Besley's popular policy round-up - including an overview of all the important stories, his top headlines of the week, tweets and posts of note, the most memorable quotes, not-to-be-missed statistics and what to look out for next week. As your starter for ten, we've chosen three items from each phase below ... GENERAL: Milestone missions. The PM launched a new ‘Plan for Change’ listing six ‘milestones’ covering living standards, NHS waiting lists, home building, safer streets, clean energy and childhood development, intended to provide ‘deliverable milestones’ for the government’s current missions. MPs’ shorter working day. Personnel Today reported on the work of the Modernisation Committee set up by Labour to look at modernising working practices in Westminster including a potential shorter working day for MPs and more virtual voting, with a call for evidence ending next week. Business confidence. The Institute of Directors (IoD) pointed to a significant drop in levels of business confidence in the UK economy as it published its latest Directors’ Economic Confidence Index showing employment tax replacing skills and/or labour shortages as the second biggest concern to business leaders and cited by 67% of respondents. SCHOOLS: SEND provision. The Education Secretary announced ‘a £740m cash injection’ from this Autumn’s Budget to support SEND facilities in schools along with the creation of a new ‘Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group’ to provide advice to the dept on inclusion. TIMSS Report. The government reported on the performance in last year’s Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS,) taken by pupils in Years 5 and 9 across 267 schools showing them performing ‘above the international mean’ in both subjects albeit below the highest-performing countries. Annual Report. Ofsted published its latest Annual Report covering inspections over the last year but in less detail pending reforms to the inspection system but highlighting concerns over SEND pressures, school absences and the recruitment of trained staff. FE/SKILLS: T levels. The Skills Minister announced a flexing up of T level industry placements that would allow for 20% to be undertaken in many cases remotely along with simulations and group activities, with detailed guidelines to follow next month. Student views on T levels. The Edge Foundation called for a new approach to work placements and clarity around progression routes as it published the results of its survey into the experiences of students and staff involved in T levels, finding many valuing the work placement element and the mix of learning but others experiencing delays on their placement and variable course delivery.  Youth Guarantee. The Education Secretary confirmed the creation of a new Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel to represent the views of young people, as she set out in a letter to the Chair of the Education Committee the work the dept would be doing to implement the proposals in the recent ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper. HE: OfS refocus. The Office for Students (OfS) announced a temporary halt to its work on registering new applications including those seeking degree awarding powers or changing titles, as it looked to shift most of its ‘finite’ resources to working with universities facing financial pressures. Social Mobility. The HE Policy Institute (HEPI) published the results of the latest Social Mobility Index for English HE, compiled by London South Bank and based on ‘social mobility’ distance travelled by an institution’s graduates, showing Bradford and Aston continuing to top the listing but the number of Russell Group institutions in the top ten falling. Devolution matters. HEPI published a commissioned report looking into the impact of devolution on HE policies across the UK, noting that each of the four nations had developed ‘markedly different systems’ on matters such as funding and regulation leaving questions remaining about the future of such arrangements let alone how best nations could work together. Access all issues of Steve Besley's Education Eye Latest research, reports and studies Mapping quality assurance indicators for non-formal adult learning | OECD Agile occupational and training standards for responsive skills policies | OECD 2024 English Social Mobility Index | HEPI Report warns poverty and hardship are preventing some children from attending school amid big increases in persistent and severe absence among children receiving free school meals | Centre for Young Lives The Skills Imperative 2035: Recommendations Report - Responding to changes in the labour market to support workers at the greatest risk | NFER Care and Learning in Higher Education: How society and universities can support care experienced and estranged students to succeed | SMF Diversity of HE boards boosted by increase in women, ethnic minorities and disabled governors | Advance HE Digital technologies in career guidance for youth | OECD How music boosts cognitive development in classrooms | Teacher Toolkit How to recruit 6,500 teachers? Modelling the potential routes to delivering Labour’s teacher supply pledge | NFER Children missing from education | EPI The schools that send no pupils on to A-Levels in the EBacc subjects (and a few others) | FFT Education Datalab Quality matters: Strengthening the quality assurance of adult education and training | OECD Evolution of Devolution: how higher education policy has diverged across the four nations of the UK | HEPI So. Farewell then Progress 8 | FFT Education Datalab Laying the foundations: How to support SMEs to take on apprentices in skilled trades | SMF Pupils in England improving in maths and science despite fears of pandemic effect | UCL Search our education research section COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK Parliament and elsewhere MPs’ Education Questions (Monday 9 December) HEPI/Unipol event on Student Accommodation in London (Tuesday 10 December) Ofqual statistics on malpractice in this summer’s GCSE/AS/A levels (Thursday 12 December) UCAS End of Cycle reporting, revised date (Thursday 12 December) Events and CPD opportunities Monday 09 December: Next steps for improving student mental health in higher education | Westminster Forum (online event) Tuesday 10 December: Next steps for AI in higher education | Westminster Forum (online event) Tuesday 10 December: Unlocking potential: Harnessing Africa as a key source for international student growth | The PIE (online event) Wednesday 11 December: Next steps for Higher Technical Qualifications in England | Westminster Forum (online event) Thursday 12 December: University spin-outs: next steps for development and commercialisation in the UK | Westminster Forum (online event) Thursday 12 - Friday 13 December: ASCL Cymru Annual Conference 2024 | ASCL (in-person event) Running an education-related event that you'd like to see included in our calendar? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details and a link to the booking info. See all events Three interesting daily facts MONDAY 09 DECEMBER On this day in 1854 Alfred Tennyson's poem 'Charge of the Light Brigade' was first published in 'The Examiner'. On this day in 1960 the first broadcast of 'Coronation Street' aired live on ITV. On this day in 2016 the World Anti-Doping Agency detailed a vast conspiracy involving Russian officials and athletes in doping at major athletic competitions including the Olympics.   TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER On this day in 1684 Isaac Newton's derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity was read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley. On this day in 1901 the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in Sweden in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. On this day in 2009 director James Cameron's epic science-fiction film 'Avatar' made its world debut in London.   WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER On this day in 1792 France's King Louis XVI went on trial accused of high treason and crimes against the state. On this day in 1913 Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' was recovered two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. On this day in 1936 Edward VIII became the first English monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne after ruling for less than one year.   THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER On this day in 1901 Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio signal from Cornwall to Canada. On this day in 1980 American oil tycoon Armand Hammer paid over $5million for a notebook containing writings by legendary artist Leonardo da Vinci. On this day in 2019 the deepest point on land was identified under the Denman Glacier, east Antarctica at 3.5km (11,500ft) below sea level.   FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER On this day in 1577 Francis Drake set sail from England on an epic three-year circumnavigation of the world aboard the 'Pelican' (later renamed the 'Golden Hind'). On this day in 1920 the League of Nations established the International Court of Justice in The Hague. On this day in 2003 former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured near his hometown of Tikrit during Operation Red Dawn by US forces. Awareness days from around the world DECEMBER IS UK: Decembeard. WORLDWIDE: Advent begins, Bingo's Birthday Month, Blue Christmas, Gift of Sight Month, International Sharps Injury Prevention Awareness Month, Learn A Foreign Language Month, National Car Donation Month, National Cat Lovers’ Month, National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, National Giving Month, National Human Rights Month, National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, National Pear Month, National Tie Month, National Write A Business Plan Month, Operation Santa Paws, Quince And Watermelon Month, Root Vegetables And Exotic Fruit Month, Safe Toys And Gifts Month, Spiritual Literacy Month, Tomato And Winter Squash Month, Universal Human Rights Month, World Twin To Twin Transfusion Syndrome Awareness Month, Worldwide Food Service Safety Month.   THIS WEEK IS WORLDWIDE: Advent, Better Conversations Week, Blue Christmas, Computer Science Education Week, Hornbill Festival.   MONDAY 09 DECEMBER UK: Postal Workers Day. WORLDWIDE: Christmas Card Day, Day Of Dignity For Victims Of Genocide, Genocide Prevention Day, Green Monday, International Anti-Corruption Day, International Day of Veterinary Medicine, Lutefisk Day, National Llama Day, National Opal Apples Day, National Pastry Day, Weary Willie Day, World Techno Day.   TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Dewey Decimal System Day, Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales, Human Rights Day, International Animal Rights Day, National Lager Day, Nobel Prize Day, Thailand Constitution Day.   WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER WORLDWIDE: Anniversary of the Statute of Westminster, Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day, International Mountain Day, National App Day, National Have a Bagel Day, National Noodle Ring Day, National Stretching Day, National Tango Day, Noodle Ring Day, UNICEF Day for Change.   THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER UK: Christmas Jumper Day, National Workplace Day of Remembrance. WORLDWIDE: Christmas Jumper Day, Gingerbread House Day, International Day of Neutrality, International Universal Health Coverage Day, National Ambrosia Day, National Ding-A-Ling Day, National Gingerbread House Day, National Poinsettia Day.   FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER UK: National Hot Chocolate Day, Christmas Jumper Day. WORLDWIDE: Day of the Horse, Lost & Found Day, National Cocoa Day, National Day of the Horse, National Salesperson Day, National Violin Day, Pick a Pathologist Pal Day, St Lucia Day, US National Guard Birthday. Share Tweet Forward Not already an EdCentral member? If you're interested in sharing ideas and collaborating with your peers we provide a safe secure environment where that can happen. You can register here If you would like to receive an email copy of this weekly round-up you can opt in here Steve Besley's education policy updates are also available via email. Head over to this page if you'd like to sign up